Axe council jobs to save Newcastle’s libraries, leaders told

LIBRARIES could be saved if councillor posts were axed, city leaders have been told.

LIBRARIES could be saved if councillor posts were axed, city leaders have been told.

Liberal Democrat opposition councillors have urged Labour leaders to slash spending on elections, councillor allowances and political jobs in order to save frontline services.

Newcastle Council is considering closing 10libraries as part of a £90m package of cuts, a move which has prompted city-wide outrage.

Now the former council leader David Faulkner has said the time has come to reduce the number of councillors to save money.

A cut of 18 councillors would save £170,000 annually in councillors' allowances - meaning savings elsewhere, such as preventing some branch library closures.

Newcastle, he added, should also follow the example of Durham and Northumberland and only hold elections every four years, rather than the current system which sees elections three out of every four years.

This alone would save some half a million pounds in four years.

Mr Faulkner said: “These changes will require consultation and the approval of the Boundary Commission, but we imagine we will not be the only council seeking to make changes like this or similar.”

He added: “In addition we want to see the end of the system of deputy cabinet members in Newcastle and the saving of their additional responsibility allowances.

“We had five of these in the later years when we ran the council, paying them an annual allowance of just over £1,700 pounds. Frankly we have to admit that they added little to the decision-making process.”

Library closures and the money behind them was at the centre of playwright Lee Hall’s speech when he accused the council of manipulating the figures.

City leaders have already denied this, saying the 60% library budget cut identified by Mr Hall is needed as a result of government funding cuts. Newcastle Council has said it is already looking at savings in the cost of elections. Officials say the ongoing budget consultation includes a number of proposals around wards and elections.

The council added it is currently required by law to follow an election model. There are no Newcastle elections this year.

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